Without Bowser
by Lonely Ghost666
Summary: After so many defeats at the hands of Mario, noone ever believed the great King Koopa would die. However, following one of his schemes, Bowser is no more. Family, friends, and enemies all contemplate this change as they now live a life without Bowser.
1. Game Over

Disclaimer: I do not own Mario, Nintendo does.

Game Over

Not once in his life did Mario think he would ever wear something beside his signature overalls and shirt. It wasn't to say that he didn't plan on wearing a different pair with different colors, such as certain dates with Peach, and even a planned white pair that he would wear to his wedding, but not once did he think he'd have to put on a suit. Not just any suit though.

A funeral suit.

He felt stuffy as the carriage that carried the plumber, his brother Luigi, Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom, and the princess' stuffy advisor Toadsworth to the funeral. None of them were speaking. In fact, they all seemed to have come to the same decision to simply look at the passing scenery outside the window. It was a fitting scenery too for the event.

Dark Land, the volcanic wasteland Mario had to constantly intrude upon to save the fair Peach or stop one of Bowser's schemes, had changed just for the event. The dark clouds still hung overhead, only the glow of the volcanoes' magma was nowhere. Combined with the downpour of rain, it was a fitting place for a sorrowful event.

Additionally, the many residents of Dark Land were making their way to the same destination as the carriage. It surprised Mario at the number of Koopas, Goombas, Boos, and so on that were traversing by foot. Then again, it was an enormous gathering. Chances were they'd be lucky if they could even stand next to the castle the funeral would take place in due to the large gathering of guests.

Finally, the carriage came to a halt and the door was opened by a Koopa, his shell painted black for the occasion. Guilt struck Mario like an icy needle when the turtle cast a quick glare at him before he focused on Peach. Speaking to everyone, he said "Your presence is much appreciated. Please stand in the main hall. Lord Kamek will be with you shortly to bring you to your seats"

"Thank you" Peach softly spoke. The four stood in the large hall of the large castle. No changes had been made to the decorations, with rugs and drapes still red and black. Statues of the Dark Land's King still made it an intimidating place, but no form of intimidation could deter the group.

Looking around, Mario could see that quite a number of important people were there. Some he expected quite a bit, while others were a surprise to see. One surprise was Daisy and Rosalina, who had very little interaction with Dark Land as it was, let alone the unfortunate soul they were here to mourn. Still, it was a welcome sight for them to come over and speak with Peach, who had been upset about the whole ordeal.

For Mario alone though, it was just good to see someone who hadn't tried to kill him, and in return he hadn't delivered a humiliating defeat to. King Boo, General Guy, Petey Piranha, Wario, Waluigi, Count Bleck and some of his minions, and even Donkey Kong. Given that Donkey Kong was now considered an ally of Mario, but he was the first enemy Mario had ever had to save Peach from. And of course there were countless others that Mario just couldn't name after seeing with a simple glance.

"Princess Peach, Mario Brothers, I am glad to see you arrived safely" the Magikoopa they had been waiting on announced. Mario was a little surprised, not realizing he had approached them. Then again, he was on his broom as he usually was, so he likely just floated down without alerting them. "I would like each of you to take one of these and follow me" Kamek stated, handing each of them (Daisy and Rosalina included) a black card with a red Bowser face print on it.

"Wh-what are these for?" Peach asked curiously, slowly following the floating Koopa.

Not bothering to turn around to answer her, Kamek continued to lead them as he answered. "His Unliving-ness had a will prepared and you all are included in it. After the main ceremony, you will be asked to stay behind so that you and the others included in the will may receive what his Lifeless-ness has left for you"

Everyone was a little pained by hearing Kamek refer to the deceased in such a manner. Then again, the loyal right-hand to the Royal Koopa family has always refered to the King as such. Perhaps, in his own way, he was trying to respect the dead by talking about them the way he always had.

As they walked through the main hall, there was one thing that disturbed the plumber more than anything. The absence of eight very important people who should be affected by this death more than anyone else. Of course, he quickly found them when Kamek lead the group into the throne room. Only, it was altered so that a coffin lay in place of the throne.

In the front row, sitting perfectly still, were the eight people Mario was expecting to see. The Koopalings and Bowser Jr., all looking at the coffin. Then, to Mario's horror, Kamek lead his group to the front row, right next to the Royal Koopas. "You are all people who have interacted with his Deceased-ness the most, and it is for this reason that he requested you would be seated here during this unfortunate affair" Kamek explained without needing to be asked. He was mostly saying it to Peach, Mario, and even Luigi, with Toadsworth, Daisy, and Rosalina being extras that Kamek didn't bother to move elsewhere.

Peach chose to sit right next to the turtle group, the one closes to her being Bowser Jr., who gave a miniscule smile at seeing his 'Mama' there. "Hello Jr., how are you doing" the Princess asked, looking out for the child's wellbeing.

"I'm doing fine Mama" Bowser Jr. lied. It was an obvious lie that anyone could see through, but the boy wanted to do his best to avoid worrying the woman he had been told was his mother, even after he revealed he knew the truth.

"Its not good to hold it in. Please talk to me if anything is wrong" Peach pleaded.

"I-... I want to talk to you after the ceremony" Jr. admitted. Mario knew it was tough for him to say that. His constant battles with the Koopa lineage, especially the King and his next in line, had told him the family was strong physically and emotionally. Admitting defeat in any form or way was next to impossible, so the fact Jr. was willing to speak to Peach after a simple request was a sign of how hard things were on him.

Looking over to the Koopalings, Mario was surprised to see a mixture of emotions. Sorrow and anger were some of the things he was expecting to see, and he did see that. But he also saw indifference, as though this event was no different than any other. He even saw annoyance at having to be there. There might have been some glee in some faces, but he couldn't be sure.

And then, for an hour, they all just sat there, waiting for everyone to come in and find their seats. It was the longest hour of Mario's life. It felt like days. Days sitting and waiting to hear about how a person he had known for so many years as an enemy, yet treated like a friend on occasion, was now gone. Finally, when everyone was where they needed to be, Kamek floated above the coffin and addressed everyone.

"Friends, enemies, and associates, I thank you for gathering here today. I wish I could be glad to see you here, but none of us are pleased with what we have come together for. Before we celebrate the life and mourn the death of his Dead-ness, I ask that we have a quick moment of silence. As a sign of respect, as he will always be silent now. King Bowser Koopa"


	2. It Is His Will

Canvas

Disclaimer: I do not own Mario, Nintendo does.

It Is His Will

The main ceremony had reached its conclusion. The guests who weren't included in the will were asked to leave, but moving the entire crowd out of the castle was a slow process. This gave those who were in the will some time to move around and enjoy some of the refreshments that were being provided for them.

Mario found it rather hard to eat anything. Almost everyone did. 'Almost' being the keyword considering some of the Koopalings and a few others seemed undisturbed by the event and ate without remorse.

It was hard for anyone outside of Dark Land to go through the ceremony without it being disturbing. Besides a few social events, and the occasional team up against another villain, they had always seen Bowser as an enemy who was nothing more than a cold, ruthless tyrant. This of course surprised them when they discovered that Dark Land tradition had praise go to the deceased's accomplishments, which Bowser had quite a long list of.

It was revealed that Bowser's attempts to invade others lands, including trying to create his own galaxy, was found by the Dark Land citizens as an attempt to create a hospitable land for the denizens of a volcanic wasteland. Mario sure never saw it that way when he was liberating these places from the Koopa King's grasp.

He also learned that Bowser's inventions, while mostly used in his destroy and conquer plots, had a positive impact on the Dark Land. The technological advancements had really made living bareable and convenient.

There were even things that hadn't been revealed outside of the Dark Land, such as attempts to fertilize dying farms, providing water where there was none, and of course the fact that his numerous invasions had given jobs to numerous unemployed Koopas, Goombas, and so on. Quite honestly, Mario never knew there was so much political background to Bowser's attacks. He always saw it as 'kidnap the princess' or 'destroy the Mushroom Kingdom'.

Finally, there was the stuff that the Mushroom Kingdom did know about. Teaming up with Mario to defeat Smithy. Teaming up with Mario to defeat Count Bleck, which really ended in him teaming up with Mario to defeat Dimentio. Including the battles against Fawful, once more involving Mario, Bowser did end up saving the day often enough.

The worst part about learning that Bowser was actually heralded as a prosperous leader within Dark Land, Kamek never told the audience what ended the Koopa King. Mario knew. Luigi knew. Peach knew. Kamek knew. Nobody else knew however. It made it easy for Mario, knowing that he may not leave the Dark Land alive if it was revealed, but the fact such information was kept from everyone made it feel like a dirty little secret. A dirty little monster that was gnawing at Mario's insides.

"Mario, are you alright?"

The pudgy plumber turned around to Peach, looking at him with concern. Realizing he was sweating from his revelation of the Koopa King, Mario pulled out a handkerchief and wiped away at the sweat. "Yes, I was just'a thinking" Mario assured the Mushroom Kingdom Royalty.

"About Bowser? I know, it's... it's tough knowing that what they have up there-" Peach began to speak, looking over her shoulder to see the coffin "-is just an ornament"

"It's an ornament you say?"

Mario and Peach were caught by surprise when King Boo appeared before them. It would be impossible for them to have predicted he would show up in the middle of their conversation considering his ghostly powers.

"I'm shocked. Then again, I always assumed Bowser would have had an open casket funeral, regardless of the condition of his corpse" the royal Boo pondered.

Awkwardly, Mario looked to the ground and said "Itsa not like itsa by choice"

"Not by choice? Are you to say there are no remains left? Or is it possible the King Koopa is just lost somewhere so far off that any chance of recovering his is for not?" King Boo pressed, wanting to figure out what happened to the fellow royalty.

"By all means, this really isn't the place to discuss this" Peach stated. King Boo looked to her, ready to ask on, when he realized tears were beginning to well up in her eyes. Dabbing them with a cloth, Peach looked around, saying "I-I really should go check on Junior. I believe he is the one affected by this the most"

King Boo and Mario watched as Peach went to find the child of Bowser that was closest to him. When she was out of hearing range, King Boo continued. "I won't push on any further if it is that big an issue. However, I have to question, if not to you than myself, what could have killed Bowser. Everyone's heard of his countless battles with you. You've thrown him into lava and dropped him into the sun. He's come back as a skeleton and come back with flesh after that. As a Boo, you know my interest in death is a bit larger than others, but it's a question that should be on everyone's mind"

"Bowser will'a not come back'a. I... I saw myself'a" Mario stated.

The big, white ghost looked at Mario, trying to see if there was anything he could get by reading his face. Then, he nodded, and replied "I understand then". Turning around, King Boo began to float over to Kamek, but paused. Without looking back to the plumber, he said one last thing. "Even if you don't tell me, someone needs to say something to his children. Perhaps there are others that know, and they may have already been told, but I only know that you and the Princess know what killed him. If you don't say something, she will then"

Mario clenched his fist at the statement. He couldn't let Peach say anything. Not to keep it from the children, but to spare her from the burden of revealing Bowser's cause of death to Junior. Knowing Luigi... well, that was another person who knew how Bowser died that just wouldn't be able to say anything. There was always Kamek, but Mario wasn't sure if he was fit to speak about the matter. The Magikoopa had raised Bowser like his own father. It seemed it may very well be Mario's responsibility, but until the time came where he absolutely needed to talk about it, he'd avoid it like every fireball the dead enemy had ever shot at him.

"Everyone, I thank you for attending and for remaining for the reading of the will" Kamek announced, drawing everyone's attention back to the Koopa floating over the empty coffin. "If you will gather around, I will begin to read his Corpse-ness' testament to you"

Those remaining quickly gathered to the front row. It was a very small group considering the large number of people that attended the funeral in all. Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom were there. Bowser's children were an obvious addition to the group. Princess Daisy and Princess Rosalina were also included. King Boo and Kammy Koopa were also present, likely due to their rank as higher class minions, which left no doubt in Mario's mind that Kamek himself was included in the will.

"In his Gone-ness' own words, this is what it says" Kamek stated, clearing his throat before reading. "I, the Great King Bowser Koopa, thank you for gathering here. It is with great shock that I find that you have to gather here though, as I never thought this would ever happen, for if this is being read, then I have met my end. As such, I have a few orders that must be followed through regarding my property and final conflicts"

"Starting with my loyal minion, Kamek, I have noone to thank but you for my upbringing. You raised me, despite all the grievances I may have caused you, and must reward you fittingly for this. For every day from my birth to my demise, you shall be paid one gold coin. You will additionally be fully discharged of your duties and allowed to live in the castle, with food and other necessities provided, for as long as you want. I ask that you look after my children, not as a servant to the Koopa Kingdom, but as a trustworthy friend"

Kamek had to pause for a moment, letting it sink in. He already knew what relationship he had with Bowser, hearing it through his will didn't make it easier. Anyone could have sworn Kamek was about to cry, but he quickly raised the parchment to continue his final duties to Bowser.

"To Kammy Koopa, who has taken Kamek's place when he was unavailable, I promote to the new Magikoopa Commander, with all the perks that come with the job. King Boo, who has provided me with the services of his Boo Army and has been a trustworthy ally in other fields, such as our numerous sporting events, shall receive a gold coin for every Boo that he has put under my service and receive a hotel/casino on the border of Dark Land territory where he may fulfill his love of gambling for as long as he wants"

Kammy nodded silently. Those who knew her had known she always wanted the spot as Magikoopa Commander by taking it from Kamek, out of a friendly, and sometimes unfriendly, rivalry that they had shared, not because he was retiring after the demise of the King Koopa.

King Boo gave a sad smile. It wasn't the first time he had been given the opportunity to run his own hotel/casino. The adventure at Isle Delfino had given him a shot, but due to its disturbance on the locals' land, Mario had taken it down. Now Bowser was giving him a place where he would not be stopped from having his fun. If only it wasn't so bittersweet.

"Moving on, I'd like to address the Princesses. I'll be quite honest, I hardly know two of you. Princess Daisy, I can only recall meeting you at sporting events. Still, you are a fellow royal and a relative of Princess Peach. A grand stadium, capable of housing any sport, shall be built for you by some of my expert Hammer Bros. for you to enjoy and share with your friends. Princess Rosalina, I have assaulted your Comet Observatory and stolen your stars in the past. While I know it is fine now, I will make amends with you by having everything left from my Galaxy Reactor given to you. I imagine you shall find a way to use it to safeguard stars, as opposed to my purpose"

Daisy and Rosalina seemed to act in unison, wiping their eyes of tears after hearing what Bowser had left for them. It was odd that even though they had no large connection to the tyrant, he had made some attempt to make up for his past actions. It was odd enough he had them invited to the funeral. Perhaps Bowser wanted to be known not for what he had done to hurt others, but simply what he did that people could consider great.

"And now, Princess Peach. The one person who could hold my attention for so many years without any feelings of ill intent. I know I have hurt you so many times, but you have hurt me every time you denied my advances. Still, there is no way for me to truly apologize for what I have done to you. The only thing I can do is have every present I had prepared for you, whether it was a birthday I wasn't invited to or a wedding I wish had happened, given to you now. Additionally, for every time I have taken you hostage, one year of peace will be guaranteed between the Koopa Kingdom and Mushroom Kingdom, regardless of my heir's desires"

Unlike her fellow Princesses, Peach could not hold back her tears. Mario wanted to hold the grieving woman when she dug her face into her hands, but was stopped when he saw Junior comfort her. It was something that would comfort the boy and Peach more than Mario could at this time.

"Now, Green Stache... I jest. I do remember your name Luigi. I'll admit that I haven't seen you to be a threat anywhere near as bad as your brother has been to me, but you have still aided him in foiling my plans and done your part. I doubt you'll ever be able to, but don't stand in the shadow of your brother any longer or I will regret leaving you anything. What I am leaving you is something to accomplish this goal. Any time you enter a competitive event, regardless of who is involved, some of my scientists will enhance your playing gear for you. This should give you a better chance at winning in the future"

Luigi let out a nervous chuckle. Noone found it in bad taste. In death it seemed Bowser had a sense of humor towards the neglected Mario Brother. The fact he was trying to get Luigi to take a step toward living a better life by taking a stand was impossible to predict.

"I won't pretend like this next person is someone I truly wanted to leave anything to. That person of course is Mario. We all know that I wanted you to be dead, not me. Still, it seems things didn't work out the way I wanted. Still, I am an honorable Koopa. For besting me by living longer, you shall receive the White Koopa Shell, a symbol of purity passed down in my family for years. It is an unbreakable shell that can only be lifted by those it deems worthy. I lost that right long ago, so as my mortal enemy, I know you shall be able to hold it"

It was quite ironic to Mario to receive this item. It was something that he could have used against Bowser multiple times in the past, but now, after the villain was dead, it was being left behind for him. Mario could only hang his head at announcement.

"Finally, I move on to my children. Nothing makes me prouder to say that you guys are still here while I am not. You may have caused me more than a dozen headaches each, but my heart would ache if any one of you were in the position I am now. Ludwig, Lemmy, Roy, Iggy, Wendy, Morton, and Larry. My Koopalings. Each of you shall receive your own castle and govern a separate portion of Dark Land to govern. You shall receive a number of underlings equivalent to every day you have been born, as well as an equal amount in gold coins for your own investment"

While everyone else had been quiet, this portion of the will caused an uproar. Besides Ludwig, the oldest of the Koopalings, the others complained that it wasn't fair due to them getting less. Larry merely went on about how he got the least because he was the youngest. Wendy said that as the only girl, she deserved more. Morton was just being loud for the sake of being loud, as he always did. Iggy complained he'd need more underlings as he knew some of the explosive experiments he had would lower the number. Lemmy merely babbled childishly, which eliminated any potential that someone would side with him. Roya was threatening to beat everyone up for their share of underlings and gold. Ludwig was merely stating it was fair that he receive the most.

Eventually, Kamek had enough and waved his magic wand, sending bubbles around the heads of the Koopalings, silencing them. Once they were all focused on him, he popped the bubbles and glared at them. "His Absent-ness would be ashamed of you all! Fighting at his funeral. There is no doubt you would argue, but be civil for one evening to respect the dead!"

A few grunts that signified a submission of defeat from the Koopalings told Kamek that they would be quiet. Nodding, Kamek continued onto the will.

"Now there is only one person left. Junior. As a father, I cannot favor any one child. However, if there is anyone I know I can trust the most out of my children to live their life the way I'd want them to, it is you. You have always been a respectful child and always minded your Mama Peach. It is with the knowledge that you hold the potential required that I cannot give you anything. Rather, I must burden you with an unfair request"

Smirks appeared on the faces of the Koopalings. They had all been wondering why Junior was left out when they had received gold, underlings, and castles. When they heard how Bowser wrote about him, they were sure that he was favoring him. It was no surprise. While they had all pursued their own interests and only helped their father when he demanded it, Junior had thrust himself into the dangerous pursuits of power, if only to please the Koopa King. Hearing he would have to follow out a request instead of receive something made them happy.

"I need you to take my place as the King of the Koopas and lead the Koopa Kingdom"


	3. Koopa Konflict

Disclaimer: I do not own Mario, Nintendo does.

Koopa Konflict

And then all hell broke lose. Having heard that the 'unreasonable request' that Bowser had to ask of Junior wasn't a true request, but a statement that Junior would be the next King of the Koopas, the Koopalings had a fit.

"This is, like, totally unfair! He's the baby of the family! I hate, Hate, HATE IT!" Wendy screeched, stomping her feet.

"I've made devices that have caused more destruction than him! Why did he get chosen as the next in line when I could create a better king!" Iggy protested, thinking more on the destructive end of things then the actual leadership.

"First he takes the place as the baby of the family, now he takes the position as heir! I have more of a right to be king than him!" Larry shouted, likely finding the biggest issue is that the one person younger than him was made king, instead of himself or the elder siblings.

Morton began ranting thoughtlessy, only saying "Not fair, not fair, not fair, not fair, not fair, not fair, not fair, not fair, no-"

Thankfully, the loud mouth Koopaling was interrupted by Lemmy babbling, coherently this time. "I may be the childish one, but at least I'm still older! He's just a hatchling!"

Even Ludwig, who usually kept his cool, was out of it here. "There is no reason he should be the king! I am the oldest, most mature, and most intelligent of us all! At the very least I shouldn't have to be beneath this brat!"

The others who had gathered for the reading of the will could only watch as the Koopalings were ganging up to verbally express their disbelief in Junior's rise to the throne. However, Mario noticed one thing that made the scenario worse. Roy, who was the bully of the group as it was, hadn't said a single demeaning thing about Junior. Rather, he was sitting their, fists clenched as the words still soaked in. At least, until he let loose.

Leaping from his seat, Roy knocked Koopaling after Koopaling aside as he made his way to Junior. "Youse little punk! Youse think youse can suck up to Pops and be his favorite! I have half a mind ta rip youse limb from limb and take dat crown maself!". Mario and Kamek moved to help Junior, knowing Roy would give the new King a beating once he got to him. At least, that's what they thought would happen.

The second Roy was before him, Junior delivered a well placed punch to his brother's snout, completely knocking the Koopaling down. That silenced his other siblings, who could only look at their brutish older brother, lying on his back before the 'baby'. The scene was quite heart wrenching. Not because Junior so quickly moved to strike his own family, but because the tears streaming from his face said he never wanted to do so.

"What's the matter with all of you!" Junior scolded, speaking for the first time since he had been declared the next king. "You think King Dad would want this! You think he'd want us bickering about who gets what! Why some of us deserve more and others less! I want all of you to get out of here!"

While still shocked by the punch to the snout, Roy wasn't liking the fact Junior was ordering him around. Pushing himself back to his feet, Roy approached his brother once more, this time with an intimidating walk instead of an aggressive charge. "Youse thinks youse can order me around? Youse ain't nothin'. Youse got a lucky shot, I'll give ya that, but in a real fight, it ain't happenin'. I win cause I always win"

While he had to look up to his brother, Junior wasn't detered. "I said I want you all out of here. You have places you can be while your castles are being made, so get out before I force you to"

"Youse little-"

"I'm afraid you have to do as he says" Ludwig stated, drawing his aggressive younger brother's attention. However, this statement wasn't any attempt to save Junior, as Ludwig continued. "He is going to be the next king, it was in the will. Of course, if he should meet an unfortunate end, then one of us will get the spot. Its best to just wait until that time comes"

Ludwig's message was loud and clear to the Koopalings. Not just them, but everyone in the room. A declaration by Ludwig that he would try to kill his younger brother to ascend to the throne. But this was also an offering to the other Koopalings for them to take a shot at taking Junior out. Knowing they would have their opportunity, the other Koopalings turned tail and left as well.

Not able to merely stand there after such a heated argument, King Boo floated over and placed a transparent hand on Junior's shoulder. "Are you going to be alright? I can't begin to understand the emotions you must be feeling"

Hanging his head, Junior answered "I'm... I'm fine"

"If you say so" the royal ghost accepted, even though Junior was far from fine. "Just know that my Boo Army and I will stand by your side, not only because you will lead the Koopa Kingdom now, but because you respect your father's wishes". Letting go of Junior, King Boo looked over to Peach, nodding his body/head toward Junior, indicating he wanted her to comfort him as he could not.

"Um, Junior" Peach said just above a whisper. "Would you mind if I stay the night? It's a long trip back to the Mushroom Kingdom and I don't believe I'm honestly in any condition to travel"

Turning to his Mama Peach, Junior put on a smile, the slightest bit of sincere joy present due to Peach staying in the castle of her own free will for once. "Of course you can. Everyone may spend the night here. It's going to take some time for what was left for some of you to get gathered, so it would be best if you all just stay here". Junior turned to Kamek for a moment, but realized something, and turned to Kammy. "Kammy, would you be so kind as to escort the guests to their rooms?"

Taken a little by the sudden request, Kammy replied "Uh, well, I can as soon as I find the guest rooms... not quite used to that"

"Thank you. In the mean time, you can help yourselves to dinner. I imagine some of our chefs have prepared something" Junior offered. The guests looked to one another with confusion, not quite sure how to react. A funeral was just help mourning his own father, he was just made king, had a death threat issued by essentially all seven Koopalings, and was now simply offering them shelter and food for the night.

Not waiting to see whether or not they would accept his offer for dinner, Junior left the room. "He's not doing a good job at hiding it" Daisy meekly stated.

"Agreed. What are we supposed to do?" Rosalina asked.

"Nothing at all" King Boo answered, earning a few looks from the others. "He is Bowser Jr., son of Bowser. No, that's not right. He is now King Bowser Koopa Jr., head of the Koopa Kingdom. These things means that he has his pride. Trying to do anything about it will only be an insult to him and the late king"

"I... suppose that's true" Rosalina agreed, if only because King Boo was the closest any of them were to the Koopa Kingdom in the first place.

Nodding, the regal phantom asked "Now then, I'm off to the dining hall. Would any of you like to accompany me?"

Daisy and Rosalina looked to Peach, feeling she had the most say in anything they did in the castle. "I... I'll join you later. I have something I need to discuss with Mario and Luigi. Please enjoy yourselves in my absence". The other princesses shared a look, but wanted to respect Peach's wishes and moved on.

"What'sa matta Princess?" Luigi asked, speaking for the first time since he entered the castle. Mario and Luigi were curious as to what Peach wanted to talk about. Given that they had just attended a funeral for Bowser and learned that Junior was now the Koopa King with seven disgruntled siblings desering his death, there was a lot that she could want to talk about.

Peach looked down, focusing her eyes on her gloved hands. "I... I wanted to know if either of you had spoken to Junior about how Bowser... you know"

Already lacking a good mood, Mario frowned at the question. "I haven't said a thing Princess and neither has'a Luigi. I was'a hoping that Kamek said'a something"

It was then that the three realized that Kamek was still in the room. He hadn't moved since reading the will. It almost seemed that after reading his former master's last testament, he lost his reasoning and merely became an ornament in the room. Of course, at the mention of his name in a conversation that included him, Kamek returned to life.

Seeing the hopeful stares, Kamek shook his head with a sigh. "I haven't said a thing. I may have been his Expired-ness' right hand man and closest thing to a father figure, but that doesn't mean I'm the one to tell the new king the news of how he met his end"

"But'a you have to! If one of us tells him how'a his papa died, he'll lose it!" Mario contested the Magikoopa's reasoning.

"He'll lose it regardless. You need to think about the long term effects plumber" Kamek retorted, turning his back on Mario based on the decision the hero wasn't showing the same courage he usually did.

"Long term effects? What'a are you talking about'a?" Mario asked.

Glancing over his shoulder, Kamek announced "His Unliving-ness said in his will that there would be peace between the Koopa Kingdom and Mushroom Kingdom. One year for every time he kidnaped your princess. Regardless of who tells his new Highness, he will get furious but respect his father's wishes. However, that hatred will simmer for those years. He may very well use the time to build up his forces to exact his revenge"

"How does'a that help us!" Luigi cried, finding nothing good about what Kamek just said.

"Because if you go to him and tell him what happened yourselves, he might find it respectful and won't consider destroying your kingdom in a flaming fury" Kamek explained.

"I think that this is... the best course of action" Peach agreed with Kamek. On the other hand, Mario did not like the plan at all.

"We can'ta do that"

"Why can't we?" Peach questioned her savior.

Mario paused for a second, trying to come up with an excuse. He couldn't say what was really on his mind regarding why the plan wouldn't work out, so he had to improvise. Finally, something came to mind and he replied "Because Junior's already in'a deep trouble with'a the Koopalings. We can'ta burden him with this news'a"

The reasoning was good, and seemed to convince Luigi and Peach, but Kamek merely snorted. "If that's what you think, then fine. I'm not the one in trouble when his Vengeful-ness learns what happened". Tired of talking to the Mushroom Kingdom group, Kamek floated off to his own portion of the castle.

After watching the Magikoopa's departure, Peach turned to Mario, concern still visible on her face. "Mario, I agree that we can't trouble Junior any further, but I think we need to tell him what happened to his father. I think that in this case, it would be best to help him deal with the Koopalings. Can I ask for your help?"

"Of course'a you can Princess" the heroic plumber answered. He may have been against telling Junior anything about what happened, but if he could help the young king with any problems, it would make him feel better about what happened. It might even make the Mushroom Kingdom's relationship with the newly appointed Koopa King favorable enough that he would personally tell him the events that had transpired that lead to Bowser's demise.

Giving a true smile that warmed the Mario Brothers' hearts, Peach gratefully thanked them for their help. "I can't tell you how it means to me that you're going to help me on this. I know Bowser had lied to him when he told him I was his mother, and he even knew it was a lie, but Junior really does look to me as though I was his mother. Considering I know nothing about his actual mother and his father just died, I can't help but feel that I need to take any parental role possible and guide him through this rough patch"

With a quick curtsy, Peach left the brothers to meet up with her fellow princesses. Luigi, smiling from the warm emotion Peach just showed in such a dark time, said "Mama mia she's a good woman"

"I know'a" Mario replied with a smile. The smile was quickly removed after another though crossed his mine. "It'sa why no matter what'a, we need to keep her'a safe"

"Safe'a from what?" the younger, yet taller, brother pondered curiously.

"If she'sa planning to help Junior out'a, then the Koopalings for one'a" Mario pointed out. They may not have shown any sign they missed their father, but the Koopalings definitely inherited their father's deadly desire for vengeance. There was more though. "The other thing'a is that Junior is still'a Bowser's son. Kamek is right'a in that he'll eventually be a danger'a to the Mushroom Kingdom... and the Princess"


	4. Seven United Against One

Disclaimer: I do not own Mario, Nintendo does.

Seven United Against One

Larry looked around curiously. While the Koopalings had left the castle together, it was only because they all had made a decision that they wanted to start scheming against the youngest Bowser spawn as soon as possible. Once they left the room that the will was being read in, they all split up to get to their own transportation away from the building.

Until their respective castles were built, they would all likely stay in their favorite places. Ludwig in the Grand Museum of Koopa Kingdom, Lemmy at some random circus, Roy at a gym, Iggy at one of the research facilities that he hadn't blown up with one of his experiments, Wendy at a mall, and Morton at a karaoke place (not so much for the singing as it was that he could make as much noise as he wanted). Larry himself was on the way to a bowling alley to let off some stress on some unfortunate pins, with either an unlucky bowling ball or even unluckier Koopa to knock them down with.

However, something stranged happened when he was leaving on his customized Koopakruiser, a bike similar to the Magikruiser, only instead looking like a Magikoopa lying out on wheels with a broom shaped exhaust, it instead looked like Larry lying out (blue mohawk and all) and a scepter shaped exhaust. He was practically flying along the road when a bright light overhead focused on him. Soon he was actually flying! Or at least, he was levitating, as he was pulled into the light. Now he was looking around an unusual holding bay.

Larry and his vehicle weren't the only ones there though. Lemmy was present with his unicycle, Roy in his Spark Streaker (like Bowser's Flame Flyer, only smaller and red with pink flames), Wendy in her carriage, and Morton in one car of the train he was on. "What's goin' on here! Whose behind this!" Roy shouted at everyone who would hear him.

"How should we know? We obviously got dragged up here just like you" Wendy sighed at her older brother's attitude.

"Whoever did this better show themselves before we find them!" Lemmy threatened, bouncing on his unicycle to show his energetic rage.

"Come out! Come out! Come out! Come out!" Morton began chanting loudly.

"Would the lot of you be quiet for five seconds!"

The five Koopalings turned their attention to the source of commanding shout. Ludwig was standing at the frame of a door in the large bay, the taller Iggy standing right behind him with a delighted smile. "I've been standing here for a minute now, waiting for you to notice me, and you all just decided to start making demands for me to come out. Use your brains for once"

Not liking the insult, Roy hopped out of his Spark Streaker and began stomping toward Ludwig, roaring "Youse callin' me stupid! I oughta bust ya fat lip right now!"

"Perhaps you should, but then I wouldn't be able to tell you my plan" Ludwig retorted.

Not detered by Ludwig's statement, Roy was quickly closing in on the eldest Koopaling. "Nothin' you can tell me can stop me from turnin' ya black and blue!"

"Not even if you could potentially become the next King of the Koopas?"

And then Roy froze. All of the Koopalings, minus Iggy, were focused on what Ludwig just said. "What did youse just say?" Roy asked.

"I said I have a plan that can guarantee that one of us will succeed our dearly deparated father instead of that baby" Ludwig reiterated. Looking around, Ludwig saw there was zero resistance to being dragged there. "If we're all ready to speak like the adults we are or wish to be, please follow me"

While the other Koopalings decided to follow without questioning everything, Larry did have one thing to ask. "Can we at least know where we are?"

"It is a fair enough question. It's Iggy's spaceship. He built it not too long ago. I knew he had the largest vehicle by far and asked for his help. He used a tractor beam to bring you all here" Ludwig explained quickly. With the first question out of the way, the Koopalings followed Ludwig through the unusual craft.

Being a creation of the scientific Koopaling, there were no decorations or designs, merely cold steel walls that shielded wires and pipes from damage. After following Ludwig for a bit, the Koopalings ended up in a simplistic room. Large and round with a table of similar description in the middle. Ludwig and Iggy both took a seat, giving the others reason to follow their example.

Knowing he had everyone's attention, Ludwig began to speak. "It's been made obvious by all of our reactions to the will that none of us are at all pleased with the decision that Junior is the new Koopa King. While I already made it clear that we are all free to pursue our own attempts at removing the eighth child, I believe it is best that we coordinate our movements"

"Exactly why should we?" Wendy asked, arms crossed as she glared at her older brother. "It's not like I'm denying anyone's help, but can't there only be one ruler? It would mean that even if we help get rid of him, I wouldn't get a guarantee at being the Queen. Neither would any of you be guaranteed the new King"

"A valid point my sister" Ludwig acknowledged. "The details are still going to be worked out on that, but we can work things out. Junior has no right to be the king, while all of us do. I personally believe I have more of a right than any of you to be quite honest-"

"Makin' me lose interest bro" Roy growled.

Casting a look at the rougher brother, Ludwig continued. "However, to make things fair, we will make some sort of agreement as to who will become the next ruler. Whether it be by luck or some show of skill"

"How are we sure you or anyone else won't kill the new ruler! We might just end up killing each other until there's only one left!" Morton shouted, only with something that the others could find to be a coherent group of words this time.

"Because after we get rid of Junior, we will agree not to kill the next ruler. Because if anyone kills that ruler, then whoever takes the throne next would know to immediately imprison the rest of us to insure their own safety. By making this agreement, we won't end up in some civil war" Ludwig explained, making things clear for his less educated siblings.

Moving on with the discussion, the blue haired Koopaling announced "But we must really move on. The fact is we need to group together to defeat Junior. We may have been given castles, money, and underlings, but Junior has the entire Koopa Kingdom under his command. Furthermore, he is weak enough that he would demean the honor of the entire Dark Land and ask for help from the likes of Mushroom Kingdom. None of us have the strength to defeat them alone"

"But you're saying that we can beat them together?" Larry pressed.

"Yes and no" Ludwig stated, confusing the others. "Even if we combined our underling armies into one, it would get us nowhere. Our individual skills and resources will be what's required. While I may be the most educated in arts and strategies, I'm willing to admit that all of you have something that I don't in terms of abilities"

"Lemmy has a plethora of circus related skills and capable of throwing the random 'curveball' in a fight. Roy has by far the most physical strength than any of us. Iggy is a technological genius with numeerous inventions. Wendy's interest in objects and activities that have little to no initial involvement in battle has allowed her understanding of secondary uses those objects have. Morton's loud shouts and roars can deal sound, as well as serve as a method of distraction as it can irritate any opponent. Larry's interest in sports can be incorporated into a battle scenario"

"So as I've stated, all of us have our unique abilities. Of course, there is also the one thing that we all share that Junior does not" the eldest Koopaling explained, ending with a statement that brought a small sense of realization to the others.

"The Magic Scepters" the others responded in unison.

"Correct. These will give us a boost in power that Junior does not hold" Ludwig confirmed.

"So we agree one of us becomes the ruler by teaming up and taking Junior down. Question is, how are we going to take him down?" Lemmy asked, eyes spinning a bit as the excitement of this conglomeration of Koopalings into one anti-Junior force gave him more energy then he could stand.

"I have an idea as to how we can use our combined power to defeat Junior. In order for this to work, we need to keep Junior and his allies distracted" the apparent leader of this group stated. "It's going to take some time, and Junior already knows we're against him. As such, from time to time, one of us will attack him in some way. I personally suggest sending some minion, stronger than the average underling, to try and assassinate him. It gives the additional chance of killing Junior without my plan, albeit being very slim. Fact is, it will keep them under the impression that these little attacks will be our attempts at taking him down, leaving them oblivious to our true plan"

"Wouldn't we be better off sending more than one assassin at a time?" Wendy asked.

Closing his eyes to process the question, Ludwig responded "Potentially, but it wouldn't be smart. When I suggest us each sending an assassin, I want each of us to send one on separate occasions. Knowing that we are threatening him, Junior could easily trace the assassins back to whoever sent them. If, for example, Morton and Larry sent an assassin at the same time, Junior could potentially consider it a coincidence. However, he could at the same time see it as us teaming up against him"

"We have to keep him from knowing that we are working together. If he knows we're united, he will do what he can to separate our power and obliterate the threat we pose. Keeping our attacks separate will make him believe we're working under our own agendas" the Koopa genius explained.

Nodding his head, understanding the plan and fully accepting it, Roy decided to ask a question. "Whose gonna make the first move agains' lil' Junior?"

"It depends if anyone wants to take the initiative" Ludwig admitted to not knowing the answer himself.

Larry, who knew that he was the youngest of the Koopalings, thus the lowest one on their bar of respect besides Junior himself, decided he had to prove himself. Knowing that all he had to do was send someone to fight for him made it easy as well. "I'll send someone I know. They should provided a nice challenge"

"Very good. So I take it everyone's in on my plan?" Ludwig asked.

"I already signed up when I said I'd make the first move" Larry pointed out.

"I wanna be king! I wanna be king! If you can help me then I'll join in!" Morton cried.

"It'd be a bit unfashionable if I was the only one not to agree" Wendy sighed.

"We've already talked about this before bringing the others in, you know what I said" Iggy chuckled with a sinister smile.

"If I can get back at that lil' punk for cheap shottin' me, you know I will" Roy agreed.

"What the heck, I'll join too!" Lemmy squealed.

A smile that showed joy and cruelty spread across Ludwig's face. "Then it's settled. The Koopalings will join together to take over what is rightfully ours. Junior, keep the Koopa Kingdom safe until we take it from you"


End file.
